The amazing conclusion to the World Cup cricket final and the prolonged Wimbledon tennis final provided much commentary at the start of the week. As outstanding as both these events were they pale into insignificance as achievements of global proportions when we consider what was achieved 50 years ago by the Apollo 11 space mission. It is arguably humankind’s greatest achievement. The 50th anniversary has enabled society to celebrate and recall the story of this monumental achievement in a variety of ways.

I am of an age that I can recall sitting as a primary student at St Elizabeth’s Convent in Tarragindi and watching a small black and white television (perhaps the only one at the school) along with a few hundred other students. It was the event that stopped the world as people were transfixed by what we were seeing. What I wasn’t aware of at that time was the speech made by the US President John F Kennedy in 1961 that set the vision for his nation to follow. It has been captured along with the space mission in an inspiring clip on Youtube. History has acknowledged Kennedy’s speech as one of the most significant ever delivered because of the way it shaped the world in the years that followed. For those who might be interested in the full speech it is also available online.

At Tuesday’s Assembly I used the clip to make points about ambition, setting goals and having to make hard choices and sacrifice. This theme of being ambitious is one that I have emphasised at various times throughout the year. I have encouraged the boys to set goals, to dream big and to always strive to stretch themselves beyond what they think they are capable of achieving. This applies to all dimensions of College life as well as their development as young people. In sharing these thoughts on Tuesday, it was to set the scene for the term ahead and to ensure that we make this second semester a successful one.

Also on Tuesday, I reminded the boys that Monday to Friday, from the first period of the day until the last, is always the main game at Nudgee College. With much attention on sport this term, and rugby in particular, it is important that we do not overemphasise its importance and that collectively we are prioritising academic endeavour and commitment to studies. If collectively as students, staff and parents we get Monday to Friday right then Saturday activities will be even more enjoyable for everyone involved. It was pleasing to hear College Captain Hayden Bygott’s own address on Tuesday focussed on this key message also.

A highlight of Tuesday’s Assembly was the presentation of the Mid Year Prefects. These Year 12s were acknowledged for their leadership as Seniors that they have displayed throughout the year in various dimensions of College life. The awarding of Mid Year Prefects is not common practice in many schools but is one that is highly valued at Nudgee College. Often, these young men have overcome the disappointment of missing election and selection in Term 4 of Year 11 and displayed standout qualities of resilience and commitment. Congratulations to Sam Mills, Eyzaiah Ulia, Dean Kenny, Henry Kennedy, Yideg Nethery and Hamish Smith on this significant achievement.

We also acknowledged the Captains and 1st teams for the Term 3 GPS competitions. Congratulations to Harry Vella (Rugby Union), Zac Bosuen (Basketball) and Henry Kennedy (Chess). We have more than 1,100 boys involved in GPS competition this term and we wish all our teams the best for the season ahead. Our standards and expectations for behaviour and support on Saturday are also set high. We look forward to performances, on and off the field, which consistently match these expectations.

The return to school was marked by Monday’s parent, teacher and student conferences. The thousands of 10 minute conversations are important opportunities to ensure that students are focused on the main game and on the academic challenge that lies ahead this term. This time spent talking and reflecting on the success and failure of the past semester is critical to the final outcome of the school year in November when reports are compiled. It was pleasing to witness the amount of time that was wisely spent on working together in planning and preparing for the remainder of the year. I acknowledge and thank the teaching staff for their commitment and time dedicated to this important day.

Finally, I welcome the new families who have joined the community over the holidays. We hope that these first few days and weeks of settling into the school go well for our newest Nudgee College men.
With every best wish for the week ahead.

Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal

I have watched with interest over the holidays as the debate has raged in the press about the various states banning mobile phones from the classroom. Then I have listened to friends, and some are teachers, applauding this positive initiative. Those who read my articles will know my position on such a ban and how passionately I am against this idea. And I need to add one of those disclaimers (again) that clearly states the following is my opinion and in no way reflects the opinions of others at the College.

A friend sent me an article by writer Dan Hogan on this subject. Dan has managed to capture the essence of my argument, so I am going to use his article, across the next two weeks, to support my position:

Opinion by Dan Hogan, Thursday 27 June 2019

A plan to ban mobile phones in public schools is as blunderbuss in intent as it is disconnected from reality. The heavy-handedness of legislating a singular device ban is straight out of the alarmist's book of band aid solutions. To go full teacher-talk for a second: it is a poor behaviour management strategy.

Prohibition will get us nowhere.

Where there is prohibition there will be bootleggers, which gives rise to a whole new set of problems. Phones have become an entrenched component of our personal and professional lives. To ban phones from ‘first to last bell’ is to commit an immense disservice to students. In no more than two generations, the adults have transformed how our lives interface with the world; an interface defined by incessant connectivity, notifications and infinite scrolling.

A law that isolates children from the very real challenges of managing themselves in a world beholden to devices is lazy at best. We owe students an education in navigating and coping with the hyper-connected environment we have created for them. Prohibition puts the blame back on children and is a counterproductive denial of the reality of modern life. It is a displacement of our collective responsibility to prepare students for life beyond school. And it's condescending.

Teachers are already reckoning with devices by cultivating a classroom culture in which the boundaries of phone usage are clearly established. Chastising all phone usage is a marked condescension of students' ability to understand how technology can be problematic.

The issue is not generational, it is societal. A widespread distraction in the form of phone usage in classrooms is not the fault of students. It is an issue that speaks to a larger conundrum.

The blanket phone ban is to blame students by proxy as once again we ask children to pick up the pieces of a mess we adults created. The fact that our lives have become tied to our phones is not the fault of students. We have created the conditions in which students feel compelled to be constantly tethered to their devices.

The connections contained in our phones are real and intensely personal.

I know there are some strong opinions in this piece, but they do serve as a reminder of the role we, as adults, need to play in teaching the boys what acceptable mobile use looks like. And I know the boys will make mistakes, but “failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” (Henry Ford).

Mr David Johnston
Deputy Principal

Welcome back to Term 3 and all the wonderful things it promises. We were very excited to welcome our new College Prefects during prayer at Assembly on Tuesday. Other events to watch out for in Term 3 are our Mass to celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross at which we will recognise staff who have worked in Catholic education for more than 20 years; and our Year 7 Galilee retreat in Week 4 when our Year 7 students travel to Shorncliffe to spend the day in contemplation of their Nudgee College journey so far this year. There are a number of Thursday morning House Masses this term as well. If you would like to join us for Mass on one of those mornings at 8.30am please consult the College calendar for dates.

Thank you

The last day of Term 2 was our Walk for Edmund fundraiser. What a great way to finish off the term; enjoying the wonderful winter weather with a stroll to the wetlands and back. The day is first and foremost one of fun for our community and it certainly fulfilled that aim.  

It is also our major fundraiser in support of the Edmund Rice Foundation and their partnership with the Christian Brothers for their aid work in many countries around the world. I am so grateful to our community for the overwhelming support. The Walk for Edmund raised more than $42,000. As I said, I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. In the coming weeks, I will invite ERFA to give us an insight as to how this money helps the programs they support.
Lastly, congratulations to former Zillmere Parish Priest and College Chaplain Fr John Kilinko, who this week celebrates his Ruby Anniversary of Ordination. God bless you Fr John, and thank you for continuing to be a part of our community through the celebration of Boarding Masses.

Mr Stephen Meara
Dean of Identity

University Open Days

Students are invited to attend open days to gain an insight into the facilities and courses offered at major universities. The dates for attendance are indicated below:

• Tertiary Studies Expo: 20 and 21 July (Brisbane Showgrounds)
• USC: 21 July (Sippy Downs) and 4 August (Caboolture)
• ACU: 27 July
• USQ: 27 July (Springfield)
• Bond: 27 July (Gold Coast)
• QUT: 28 July
• UQ: 4 August (Brisbane) and 18 August (Gatton)      
• CQU: 8 August (Brisbane)
• Griffith: 11 August
• TAFE: 11 August (South Bank)
• SAE: 11 August
• SCU: 18 August (Gold Coast)

Ms Dee Tyrrell
Director of Pathways

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12 Formal on Sunday 14 July at the Royal International Conference was absolutely fantastic! The boys and their partners looked amazing and engaged in the night wonderfully. It was lovely to get feedback from many families who are connected with Nudgee College (whose daughters went as partners) just how well the Nudgee College men looked after their daughters. 

While the night is a celebration of Year 12 and a ‘coming of age’ event in many ways, it is also a lesson in how to ‘be’ in that context. The Nudgee College boys actioned those skills well. The night was an outstanding success, largely due to the hard work of our Student Events Coordinator Ms Larissa Patti, Technical and AV Production Manager Mr Raoul Carmody and EA to the Dean of Students Ms Suzanne Colette

The work done in theming the venue was outstanding! Thank you to the mums who came in over the weekend to ‘dress the room’: Ms Dolly Bygott, Ms Patti Smith, Ms Jocelyn Bundock, Ms Sarah Roati, Ms Donna-Maree Long and Ms Alysia Bridger. Thanks also to these mums for organising the connected parent function at the Rydges. The service and food were sensational and a good time was enjoyed by all. Thank you to the House Deans, Boarding staff, teaching staff and College Leadership Team for their attendance.

School PC Photos (Years 7 to 12)

A reminder that on Wednesday 24 July we will hold school PC photos. All parents have been emailed details regarding ordering these photos from our supplier Silver Rose Photography. As always, can I ask parents to be mindful of their son’s haircuts and personal grooming. It is always more pleasant to start on a positive note, especially with photos being a memento of their year at Nudgee College.

Uniform Reminder

During Term 3, it remains compulsory for boys to wear their blazers to and from school, during PC class and at College Assemblies. It is important for students to ensure they are dressed in the correct uniform and have packed all of their necessary sporting uniform and equipment before they arrive for school each day.

In addition to this please assist us by challenging your son, particularly the older students, of the importance of personal grooming, by ensuring they are clean shaven. Whilst this can be frustrating, it demonstrates a discipline and respect for the uniform, and in turn, the College.

Term 3: The ‘Premiership Quarter’

This is such a huge term at Nudgee College. While not an exhaustive list, I would like to flag with the College community many things to be aware of this term:

• Basketball and Rugby season
  (This is one of the largest student participation seasons of the year. The College would also love to think that all boys will attend some of our Saturday Rugby and Basketball home games to support the 1st teams.)
• The Year 10 Immersion
• School photos (PC groups and individual photos for Years 5 to 12)
• Boarders’ Bash and associated events
• Old Boys’ Reunion Day Weekend
• Inter-house Debating in Weeks 5 and 6
• Year 12 QCS Test
• Year 11 Semi Formal
• Year 11 Leadership Program
• Year 10 SET planning and subject selections (interview with House Dean about their subject selections and career aspirations)
• Year 9 subject selections and Powerhouse Day
• Barralong Rowing Regatta
• Dimensions Art Festival
• Grandparents Day
• Nudgee Long Lunch

I sincerely trust all boys and families will have an enjoyable Term 3 – I know it will be a busy one.

Mr Sean Toovey
Dean of Students (Acting)

Year 5 HASS Excursion at the end of Term 2 

The gold rush excursion was a lot of fun, especially if you like hands on activities. Some of the activities were panning and cradling for gold, tent building, making damper and a lot more. It taught us many things about the gold rush era as well as being a lot of fun. It was definitely the best excursion we have been on and we definitely recommend it for the next Year 5s who follow in our footsteps. By Tom Duffy and Xavier Parer 5N 

When we arrived we met a thief and a bushranger who would later have a pretend gun battle on the track. The whole class thought it was hilarious to watch a pretend gun battle. As we were walking towards town we passed a row of tents with the names of some Year 5 boys on them. We also saw two freaky looking graves beside the path! The grave stones told us they had both died of scurvy, which is caused by a lack of Vitamin C. When we arrived in the old fashioned town the bush ranger said we could have a quick walk around. It was a cramped, old looking town, which had fewer shops than towns today. My friend Luke pretended to be the local blacksmith. The day was filled with roleplaying about how the gold fields were back then and how an old fashioned shop worked. We also learnt how to put up tents. After our activities we had some delicious bread that some of the Year 5 boys volunteered to bake. The best part of the day was a game called Eureka because it gave us a chance to run around and compete with our friends. It was a great day for the whole class. By Michael Donovan 5D

Year 6 Camp at the end of Term 2

As Year 6 parents would be aware, our students attended their annual camp in the final weeks of Term 2. Thank you again to all the staff who made these camps possible. Below are reflections written by two of our students:

This year’s camp was incredible. We went to Apex Camp Mudjimba, which was the same one as last year but all of our activities were completely different. This year we did abseiling, radio orienteering, a mud run, fencing, high ropes, beach games, rock climbing and went to Bli Bli waterpark. On top of this at night we played ‘Minute to Win It’ and had a campfire. Whether it was abseiling down the climbing wall or crawling through the mud run at some part of the camp we were all pushed to our limits and faced our fears. In between activities we were given delicious meals served by the kind staff at the camp. The camp was by far my highlight of Term 2. We got to hang out with our friends while doing these amazing activities. We had the best time at camp. By Alex Smith 6K

Arriving at camp took us about an hour. Unloading our gear from the bus was a breeze and we soon headed off to our dorms. Our group, Group 2, started off with climbing activities, using advanced technology to secure our safety. After the first night, we started the day with a fantastic breakfast followed by activities. The mud run was one of our activities and speaking from experience, DON’T WEAR WHITE SOCKS! We caught the bus with Group 1 to Bli Bli waterpark, where we had the time of our lives on an inflatable waterpark in freezing waters. To end that cold day, we surrounded a campfire and toasted some marshmallows. First thing the next morning we packed our bags and headed off to our last activities. Radio Rogaine (involving walkie talkies, maps and clues), led us to an amazing last day. Finishing off camp, we fenced in a tournament against our group and ended with a death match. Eventually, someone came out on top. We were quick with packing and we had plenty of time to spare so we played a couple of games before we left.  By Riley Nixon 6D

Conferences

Monday was a wonderful opportunity for you to meet with your son’s teacher. I hope the conversations from these meetings are just the start of continued dialogue to keep your son on track throughout the term. The Years 5 and 6 Google Sites will also provide invaluable resources to both parents and students this term. I would encourage all parents/caregivers to take a tour of the site with their son.

Junior School Photo Schedule

• PC and sibling photos: Wednesday 24 July from 8.25am
• Year 5 and 6 core photos and individual photos: Thursday 25 July from 8.25am

Please refer to the emails sent on Tuesday 18 June and 16 July for ordering information. Please note that sibling photos are scheduled for lunchtime in Ryan Hall. All other photos will be taken in O’Neill.

Let’s Chat Parent Information Evening on Monday 29 July

Please refer to email sent on Tuesday 16 July for details. Please note this evening is for parents only.

Important Term 3 Dates

• Monday 22 July: Year 6 Street Science Incursion
• Wednesday 24 July: Year 5 and 6 PC and Sibling Photos
• Thursday 25 July: Year 5 and 6 Core Class and Individual Photos
• Monday 29 July: Let’s Chat Parent Information Night, 6.15pm for 6.30pm start in Mary MacKillop Auditorium
• Thursday 1 August: Year 6 Let’s Chat Session 1
• Wednesday 7 August: Year 6 Let’s Chat Session 2
• Thursday 8 August: Inter-house Athletics
• Wednesday 14 August: Ekka Show Day
• Thursday 15 August: Year 6 Let’s Chat Session 3
• Thursday 22 August: Year 5 Let’s Chat Session 1
• Thursday 29 August: Year 5 Let’s Chat Session 2
• Friday 30 August: Father’s Day Gathering, 7.45am
• Friday 20 September: School finishes at 1.00pm, usual bus runs shall depart shortly afterwards with the exception of the connecting bus that meets our Samford bus to continue onto Dayboro

Mr Paul Cazzulino
Director of Junior School (Acting)

Welcome back to Nudgee College; hopefully everyone had a wonderful and restful break.  

Term 3 is typically the busiest term of the year, but also the most important academically. The challenge will undoubtedly be to ensure a sense of balance is maintained with our academic rigour and co-curricular activities. Boarding staff will be working closely with all boys this term to work on developing the important skill of ‘time management’. This will be done by utilising their Google Calendar and our Term 3 study planners. I have placed a copy of the Term 3 study planner on Team App for parents to use at home as a reference, but I also encourage you to connect with your son’s Google Calendar to have those important conversations with boys about their academic progress.

First Weekend Back

As always at Nudgee College it is a busy weekend coming up, with many of our Boarding students commencing GPS Rugby and Basketball with Round 1 home games against The Southport School. Good luck to everyone!  

Friday night is a ‘compulsory night in’ with great activities organised for boys to reconnect after the last three weeks away. Below I share with you each House activity that has been planned:

• Cotter: 10 Pin Bowling
• Hodda: Barbecue
• Murphy: Hungi and campfire
• O’Brien: Putt Putt

Boarders’ Bash on Saturday 3 August

During Term 3 we will host the annual Boarder’s Bash. This is a wonderful event that our Boarding Support Group work tirelessly to organise, bringing together our Boarding community with the wider Nudgee College community and Nudgee College Old Boys. An email with the official invitation was sent to all Boarding families this week.

Complimentary Lunch on Saturday 3 August

Boarding families are invited to enjoy a complimentary lunch in the Boarding Dining Room during the day. The Dining Room will be open for Boarding families to enjoy lunch at their convenience anytime between 11.30am and 1.00pm. If you would like to attend the lunch, please RSVP here. 

Photo competition

During the holidays I encouraged all students to use their phones or cameras to capture images that represent their community. It is not too late for students to enter their photos and we hope to see many more images coming in over the next couple of weeks.

The photos MUST be in high resolution (minimum 300dpi, but preferably 600dpi) so that we can print the winners and runners-up onto canvas for the Dimensions Arts Festival. The higher resolution you use, the better the quality of image.

Final entry date is Friday 9 August.

Email these photos to boarding@nudgee.qld.edu.au (in the subject of the email write your name and house).

News from our Boarding Community

During the holidays Luke and Daniel O’Sullivan competed in two campdrafts in between mustering.  The first campdraft was located in Mt Coolan and was also attended by fellow Boarding family the Kennys. Both Daniel and Luke rode in the Juvenile draft with Luke placing first, Todd Kenny placing third and Daniel placing fourth.  

The following weekend the O’Sullivans also attended the Twin Hills Youth Camp with both boys competing in the Twin Hills Gidgee Juvenile Draft. This draft offers two rounds for the kids and the places are based on their combined score. Luke once again placed first – congratulations! 

Weekend Activities

• Friday: Activities with Boarding House
• Saturday: GPS Rugby and Basketball, and activities on campus
• Sunday: Tertiary expo

Mr Christian Oneto
Dean of Boarding

View the latest GPS Rugby Review Working Group Update here.

Opening Night Gala on Friday 6 September

The Dimensions Art Festival launches each year with an Opening Night Gala. This event is a major community celebration and an opportunity to meet the Feature and Guest Artists and get the story behind their wonderful work and the passion that drives their creativity. During the Gala you will have the chance to enjoy and purchase amazing artworks by renowned artists, and delight in artwork from every year level at Nudgee College. You will be waited on and entertained by our talented sons. The Gala is a perfect opportunity to get together with a group of friends and enjoy the highlight of the Dimensions Arts Festival! Tickets are great value at $65 and include beverages and canapes.

Raffle

Major Prize: Nudgee College tuition fees fully paid for one student for 2020 OR $10,000 in cash

Tickets on sale now. Purchase tickets here.

Thank you in advance for your support

Nudgee College Arts Committee

Tuckshop

The College Tuckshop requires additional volunteers for Monday and Wednesday shifts. Contact Tuckshop Convenor Ms Tricia Fitzpatrick on pfitzpatrick@nudgee.qld.edu.au if you’re available to help out.